


Be With Me

by Twisted_Mirror



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Anger, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben Solo Deserved Better, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Dark Side Rey, Death, Devoted Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Fix-It, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Dyad (Star Wars), Grief/Mourning, Happy Ending, Kylo Ren and Rey Are Not Related, Loss, Love, May the Force Be With You, Minor Finn/Rose Tico, Post-Episode: s04e13 A World Between Worlds, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Redeemed Ben Solo, Resistance, Rey & Rose Tico Are Best Friends, Rey & Rose Tico Friendship, Rey Needs A Hug, Rey Solo, Romantic Soulmates, Rose Tico Deserved Better, Seduction to the Dark Side, Sith Code, Soft Ben Solo, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Fix-It, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Spoilers, The Dark Side of the Force, The Force, The Force Ships It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:35:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22309522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twisted_Mirror/pseuds/Twisted_Mirror
Summary: After the soul crushing ending of The Rise Of Skywalker, I needed to write this for cathartic reasons. It was hard writing it but it helped a little.Im writing it around the ending we were given but tweaked a few things so that they will get a happy ending. The ending that they deserved.
Relationships: Kylo Ren & Rey, Kylo Ren/Rey, Kylo Ren/Rey/Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34
Collections: About Jedis and Siths, Reylo, Star Wars, The Kylo Collection, The Rise of Skywalker: Fix-It Fic Edition, reylo trash, star wars





	1. Loss

Ben, where was Ben? They were her only thoughts as she looked up at the starlit sky. A dark sky littered by the ships of the Resistance and the Final Order. Her senses were faltering; she could feel the life, the force within her ebbing away. Her senses felt dulled, the sound of the battle and explosions above became muffled, it seemed a million miles away. She was floating though she did not know where; shadows and blue lights swirled around her in a confusing fog. She heard voices that she recognised, voices that had spoken to her in her time of need. They began to get louder and more persistent, but an overwhelming sense of panic flooded her for she could not sense Ben. He had been there, standing alongside of her, fighting with her, and their bond had been stronger than ever. Now everything was faded and distant, Ben was gone. “I’m coming Ben,” she whispered as her life force flickered out, and her eyes turned into a soulless stare.

−

Ben clutched desperately to the rock and tried to gain his footing; pain shot through his leg as he used it to propel himself upwards. His whole body was racked with fatigue and pain. Rey was still there but she grew fainter and fainter. He tried to reach out to her so that she knew he was coming for her, he would not leave her. Another shock of pain forked through his leg causing him to grimace. His knuckles were white against the cold stone, rough under his fingertips. He reached out again with his feelings and hit a wall of nothing, just a deafening frightening silence. His movements became almost frantic as he climbed up the wall of the pit. He had felt despair and pain in his life before, but it was nothing to what surged through him now, hopelessness. His foot slipped on an unstable shelf of rock, for an agonising moment he hung there by his fingertips. His exhaustion threatened to overwhelm him, as the pain in his body grew, reaching around him, entwining him. For a split second he considered letting go, giving up, disappearing into the dark chasm below him. Nobody would care or miss him, it would be so easy to let go, give in. The image of Rey’s lifeless body lying alone up there drove him on, he could not leave her there. He choked back a sob, he had to be wrong.

“Ben, just breathe.”

He froze, it was Luke.

“Ben, we are here with you, breathe.”

Ben sobbed and pressed his face into the rock.

“Ben, you can do this, I love you.”

His heart clenched inside of his chest, his mother. He sobbed; he wanted his mother so much.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he cried.

“I know,” she replied gently.

He steadied himself, letting the warmth of his mother’s voice anchor him as took a deep shaky breath. He shifted his foot and found a new foothold wedging his foot on to it. He pulled himself up breathing heavily, his fingers and limbs shaking.

“I won’t leave you again.” Luke’s voice was tender and comforting and Ben could hear the regret behind his words.

“Now climb.”

Ben took another deep breath and braced himself for the pain. He tensed his muscles ready as he heaved himself up the pit wall. It felt to him as though time had slowed down to a standstill, the air around him felt thick and muddy.

He finally grasped the edge and pulled himself up; not even pausing for breath he raced to Rey’s lifeless form. Half running, half stumbling as the pain in his leg shot through him in acute spasms. The way she lay so still in the dust and shadows of the Emperor’s maudlin amphitheatre, he felt sick to the stomach. His heart felt heavy, turned to stone, cold and rough. He had to be wrong, he had to be. He crossed to her and reached out for her arm holding it gently, trying to find a pulse, there was nothing. He wrapped his other arm around her, turning her gently into his arms and sat down next to her. She lay limp in his arms and her lifeless eyes looked back at him, no, past him, through him. He looked around panicked like a lost child looking for someone to help him, but there was no reply. Why wouldn’t they help him now? He sobbed and pulled her to him, embracing her as he had always wanted to. She felt so small and delicate in his arms, he rested his head upon her shoulders. His eyes stung with tears and his leg ached beneath him but that was nothing compared to the pain in his chest. His soul was cracking apart again, sorrow filling the void, she could not be dead. It should be him, not her.

“Rey, come back to me,” he whispered. “Please.”

As the pain threatened to overwhelm him, a moment of clarity reached through to him, the force. He felt them with him and as calm descended upon him again, he knew what he had to.

He tenderly placed his right hand upon her stomach while he cradled her in his left arm. His hand spanned the width of her flat stomach, that no longer rose and fell with her breathing. His eyes closed, unable to look down into her lifeless ones, surrounded by pale and greying skin. Blocking that image, he let go and let the force flow through him, more fully than it had ever done before. He felt his energy reach out in delicate tendrils and connect with Rey, holding on to her, enveloping her as it left him. He knew what would happen to himself, he could sense it, but he had to do it, he did not matter and she needed to live. The future was with her.

Almost when he felt as though he had nothing left, he felt her heart burst into life. Though his eyes were shut it was as though he could see her again. A warm glowing light sparkled in front of him, growing ever brighter as her life energy grew stronger. He slowly opened his eyes and found her looking back at him, a look of puzzlement on her expression. For a moment they just looked into each other’s eyes, him with raw relief and her with love and joy.

“Ben.”

Just that simple word made him want to cry; his name, the man he really was, the person he had tried to ignore all of this time. The man he had buried and hidden away, only for Rey to find him. He was her Ben and always would be.

Rey reached out slowly and held his face in her hand, he could have wept at her touch. He felt himself begin to weaken but he held on with all he had to have this moment with her, as Ben. His heart throbbed with a pain at the intense love he had for her, made of pure light. Expecting nothing from her and knowing he did not deserve what he longed for, he was taken aback when she suddenly lunged forward and kissed him on the lips. Her first kiss, her movement were slightly clumsy, but there was no doubting the emotion behind it. Recovering from the initial shock, he pulled her as close to him as he could and kissed her back. At first their lips just pressed together in urgency, until it deepened and their lips parted. Rey felt warmth, belonging and peace for the first time in her life, she could have wept. In the moment of their kiss Ben knew without question that she loved him, causing him to utter a low sob. They broke apart for a moment and Rey reached up with her hand to cradle his face. Ben broke into a smile as her thumb grazed his mouth. She had never seen him smile and it was beautiful. There was so much that they wanted to say in that moment. Ben was trying to find the words as he felt suddenly cold, cold and weak.

‘No, no, I don’t want to leave her, not now, please.’

He prayed, but he knew his time was gone. Rey sensed it immediately and held on to him. He looked as though he wanted to say something as his eyes searched hers. Her eyes were the last thing he saw as she faded away and everything went black. Rey gasped as Ben’s eyes closed, he began to fall backwards on to the hard-stone floor. She tried to hold him up but he was too heavy.

“No,” she whispered, panic flooding her senses, the warmth in her heart turning to ice.

He looked as though he were sleeping peacefully, but she could not sense him anymore. He was gone. She sobbed trying to hold it together.

“I can bring him back; I can bring him back.”

She placed her hand upon his chest, flinching at the lack of life within. Preparing to connect with the force, she became horrified when he began to fade away like a ghost, a shadow. He was gone, no trace of him except his clothes that collapsed on to the floor.

Her hands that had rested upon him fell to the floor. She sat staring at the cold stone floor where his head had been merely seconds before, tears stinging her eyes. It was as though he had never existed, torn from reality. Stunned she just sat there, unaware of how much time passed. “Ben,” she whispered, as she scrunched the material of his shirt in her shaking hands. Pulling it to her she could still smell him on the clothing though his warmth had faded away with the rest of him. She buried her face in his clothes as the darkness that she had pushed away, surrounded her. Reality began to sink in as her soul felt as though it had been torn asunder, as sorrow washed over her in a tidal wave of despair. She heard a heart-rending scream fill the cavern, echoing across the stone walls, filling the air with raw pain. It was herself, head thrown back she screamed again at the room, her face wet with tears. Her scream faded into strangled sobs, her shoulders shaking jerkily. She was alone.

−

Maz Kanata stood wearily looking at Leia’s shrouded body on the bed. Today the battle that had been fought for centuries had ended, but it had taken a lot. Their loss was great indeed. Maz took a deep breath and closed her eyes, she could feel a shift in the force, something was happening. She did not know what it was but she trusted it, trusted the force. Opening her eyes, she felt a breath of warm air as the shroud fell, Leia’s body had gone. Maz smiled knowingly.

−

Rey awoke on the stony cold ground stiff, she was chilled through to the very bones. Ben’s shirt was still in her hands. She pushed herself up as the feelings of fatigue threatened to overwhelm her. Her throat was raw, and her eyes were red and swollen. Looking up at the sky, the stars looked back at her. She remembered all of the times on Jakku she had looked up at the stars, wishing to be among them, dreaming of what lay amongst their light. Now the sight just made her realise how cold and alone she was. The Resistance ships were gone, only traces of smoke displayed any evidence of the Final Order. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself, reaching out into the force.

“Be with me, be with me.”

She felt a reassuring presence that urged her to get up. She knelt up and gathered Ben’s clothing in her arms. She could not leave the only trace of him behind. The only thing she had left of him, empty garments.

She staggered from the cave and out of the Emperor’s dark domain, standing outside in the fog filled air. Lightning still hit the planet’s surface in random strikes, dust filling the air in hazy swirls. Wreckage of the Emperor’s fleet had crashed to the surface, making the place even more of a graveyard. In front of her the X Wing and Ben’s Tie Fighter stood side by side causing her to pause for the moment. She had half expected the ships to have been destroyed in the wreckage, but here they still were. The pain and darkness inside of her was crippling but she ignored it, pushed it down and hurried to her ship. Punching in the co-ordinates to Takodana, the roof to her X Wing closed above her. She took one last look at where Ben fell, where half of her soul remained and felt a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach.

−

The Resistance had gathered back at the base camp on Takodana and were in celebratory mode. Rose watched from her chair near the command panel, her expression one of solemnity. Their total loss was as yet unconfirmed, but they were not thinking of that just yet, Rose could not blame them. She wished that Leia could have been here, she who had spent her whole life fighting for the freedom of the galaxy. She should be here. Excited whoops and cries of joy bought her out of her reverie as an X Wing began to land in the clearing. Relief flooded through her as she saw Rey climb down from the ship. She looked tired and worn, soon embraced by Finn and Poe. Various Resistance members high fived her as they ran excitedly past and one gave her a hug. She smiled at them but it faded when she saw Rey walk away from the others. Finn tried to follow after her but Rey held her hand up, saying something that stopped him. She walked away politely taking people’s hands as they shook hers, cheering for her. Rose knew that something was wrong, horribly wrong, for Rey had that painted smile upon her face. Her smile was a mask.

Rey had disappeared from the crowd but everyone was so caught up in the celebrations nobody noticed. Nobody except Finn and Rose.

“What’s the matter with her? We won!” Finn approached Rose, his face painted with a frown and confusion.

Rose put her hand gently upon his arm.

“She needs space, she’s been through a lot.”

“We’re her friends, why can’t she tell us?”

“She will in time.”

Finn just nodded; the disappointment clear on his face.

Rey had been sitting in her tent cross legged on the bed staring at the floor. She had neatly folded Ben’s clothes and placed them beside her, the two Skywalker sabres on top. She felt disconnected, numb; the sound of laughing and drinking outside sounded like it was somewhere else, some other time. Someone cleared their throat outside interrupting her inner silence.

“Come in,” she called quietly.

Rose cautiously peered her head into the tent before entering completely, a small container of food and a hip flask in her hands.

“You should eat.”

She held out the food to Rey but she shook her head.

“Sorry, I can’t, I’m not hungry.”

Rose did not force the issue but put the container down upon a storage trunk.

“I’ll leave it here; in case you change your mind.”

Her eyes fell on the pile of black clothes next to Rey but did not say anything, instead took a seat next to her on the other side. It was silent for a moment, neither knowing what to say.

“What’s the plan now, for the First Order?” Rey went first.

“Pryde and his contingent were destroyed in the battle over Exegol, we’ve rounded up survivors.”

Rey just nodded.

“As far as we know, some of their fleet was destroyed but some survived. The survivors out there are scattered and leaderless. Nobody seems to have heard of or seen the Supreme Leader for some time, we are not sure if he died in battle or went into hiding.”

Rey gripped the bedding under her hands, her fingers going white. She tried to steady herself, calm her breathing for she could not lose control. Her eyes blurred and stung as she tried to hold back the tears. Rose gently placed her hand on Rey’s arm.

“Rey what is it?”

The look Rey gave her broke her heart, before she gave way to her tears.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this, it wasn’t supposed to be like this,” she repeated falling into Rose’s arms.

Rose jut let her cry, as Rey’s body shook with sobs. Whatever had happened out there had clearly caused Rey a lot of pain. She had never seen her in this state, she was normally so controlled.

Finn came walking into the tent grinning, stopping short as he ascertained the scene before him. Rose shook her head vigorously and gestured for him to leave. He was not what Rey needed right now. Finn frowned and looked sick with worry but he trusted Rose’s judgement so reluctantly left. Rey did not even notice. Eventually Rey’s shuddering sobs grew less violent, less frequent as she lay in her friend’s arms with her head on her lap. Rose just held her waiting until Rey was ready.

“He’s gone,” she whispered.

“Whose gone?”

“He left me, he said I wasn’t alone, but I am,” she sobbed again.

Rose was confused, feeling as though she were missing a whole chapter of events.

“Rey what do you mean?”

Rey pushed herself up, wiping her blotchy face with her arm.

“Remember what I told you about Kylo Ren, about what happened last year?”

Rose nodded slowly.

“He came after me Rose, Ben came after me.”

“You mean…?”

“He came back to the light.”

Rose already knew where this was going, but knew that Rey needed to tell her.

“He came charging in to Palpatine’s lair with nothing but a blaster,” she half laughed as tears still slowly fell. “He fought by my side.”

“Oh Rey.”

Rey grasped Rose’s hand and gripped it tightly.

“I think I died.”

“What? How is that possible?”

“It was Ben, he bought me back, he saved me.”

“How?”

“He gave his life for mine, all of it,” sobbed Rey, shoulders beginning to shake again. “Then, then he just disappeared, fading away as though he were never there. I can’t even feel him through the force anymore.”

Rose did not know what to say, there was nothing that she could say that would help.

“The force was supposed to help, the Jedi were supposed to help,” Rey began to get angry. “Why did they abandon him?”

Rose was at a loss for words.

“Maybe there is a bigger plan at work.”

“Well it’s wrong,” Rey’s words were forceful, she felt bitter.

“He loved you Rey,” Rose spoke softly, placing her hand on Rey’s back.

Rey nodded, she picked up the black sweater next to her, stroking it.

“Yes, he did.”

The two friends fell quiet, one battling her grief, the other trying to process what she had found out. Rose had known that Rey had a complicated relationship with Kylo Ren, but she also knew how much she cared for him. She had never been very good at hiding that from her. It was one thing she always admired about Rey, the way she cared so much for those that were broken.

“Do you know what kills me?” Rey interrupted the silence. “Nobody out there knows, they don’t know what he did, what he went through.”

“They will,” Rose responded warmly. “Because you’ll tell them.”


	2. Shadows of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey is struggling with her grief and anger at the loss of Ben. Someone else wakes up in a mysterious location. Voices from the past reach through time and space. Can a soul bond ever be really broken?

Rey surveyed the scene that lay in front of her from the ramp of the Falcon. All that she could see for miles and miles, was sand; a vast ocean of sand stretched out before her. The blistering heat of the planet’s binary suns beat down upon the land, licking at her skin. Grimacing she stepped down from the ramp, kicking up dust as her feet touched the ground. Sticking up out of the landscape to her left was the homestead she had been seeking. It had long been abandoned and was half buried in the dry pale golden sand. The place, despite the heat made her feel cold and desolate. It was an empty shell of a home lost to the past, dug into the ground like an open grave.

Surveying the perimeter of the home, she grabbed a piece of scrap metal that had been discarded. BB8 watched her from the bottom of the ramp, from the tilt of his head she could tell he was curious. She waved at him and smiled as he beeped and chirped in response. Using the sheet of metal she rode down the slope of the sand, right into the bowels of the homestead, laughing at the ridiculousness of it. Dusting herself off at the bottom, she took a look around the empty rooms. The scavenger in her noted how everything of value had been stripped, likely long ago. She could feel remnants of the force here, faint and distant, like a dying echo. Closing her eyes, she reached out and focused on the shadows, letting them in. Emotions swarmed through her, anger, love, grief, confusion, hope and yearning. She could hear voices, voices from years before.

“…but she’s been gone a month. There’s little hope she’s lasted this long.”

“Your mother’s dead, son. Accept it.”

“I don’t want to give up on her.”

“Why couldn’t I save her?”

“I killed them…I killed them all, they’re dead, every single one of them, not just the men but the women and the children too.”

The voices ebbed and flowed around her, the emotions attached to them, ghosts.

“Luke, Luke…”

“Looks like I’m not going anywhere.”

“There’s nothing for me here now.”

So much pain, so much sadness remained here. Rey needed to get outside, into the fresh air, away from the voices. She wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.

She stumbled outside using the broken doorway. Looking around her she noticed that the sun was becoming low in the sky, painting it in orange, crimson and pink. It was not unlike the sunsets on Jakku, always so warm and golden over a cold desolate landscape. It had been the only thing in her life back then that had colour, beauty. She had always looked to the sky, imagining finally being able to leave, finding her life, finding her belonging. Shaking off the feeling, she crouched on the floor and removed the Skywalker’s lightsabres from her bag. They felt heavy in her hands, weighted and cold. Wrapping them in red cloth she used the force to push them beneath the ground, the sand burying them forever.

“Let the past die…” Kylo’s words echoed in her head.

She had to do this, cut all ties. At least that is what she told herself. Something did not feel quite right though. She pulled her own, recently constructed lightsabre from her belt. She had fashioned it out of her old staff. She turned it on automatically, pushing the switch upwards. She looked up at the yellow blade, glowing and crackling. It didn’t feel right in her hand, it felt unbalanced.

It was then that she noticed that she was being watched, by an old woman. The woman was alone, apart from her strange looking long-legged creature that she held by the reigns. She turned the sabre off and stood abruptly. The woman was eying her curiously, her already wrinkled sun-baked skin wrinkled further.

“There’s been no one for so long,” the woman’s voice was frail and shook. “Who are you?”

Rey could feel the stranger’s loneliness, the effort to speak after having nobody for such a long time. Why did this woman feel familiar?

“I’m Rey.”

The woman stared at her; Rey could see the isolation reflected in the woman’s eyes.

“Rey who?”

Rey felt strange, as something nagged at her mind, as though trying to warn her. It had been ever since she had arrived on this planet. She began to feel a presence growing near her, distracting her momentarily from the old woman. Gradually blue apparitions slowly took shape in front of her, Luke and Leia. At least they looked like Luke and Leia. Both were dressed in pure white; both were smiling serenely at her. She wanted to scream at them. Why were they smiling? How could they be happy? Ben was gone, erased forever. This couldn’t be Luke and Leia, not the Luke and Leia she knew, mirror reflections, imitations. They had to be.

To her horror she found herself smiling back, as though she were being puppeteered from an unknown source. She turned back to the woman; the fake smile plastered on her face.

“Rey Skywalker.”

‘No, no this isn’t right!’

She tried to scream for someone to help her, but her face was fixed into a smile that was not her own.

The woman carried on standing there, her gaze still fixed on Rey.

“Who are you?” Rey asked.

The woman’s face broke into a smile, wide and gummy, showing many missing teeth. To Rey’s confusion the woman began to laugh, a low chuckle that broke into a loud manic cackle. Rey felt frightened and a cold dread filled her heart. She already knew the answer.

“I’m you dear,” the woman laughed. “I’m you.”

Rey shook her head, no, no.

“I have to leave now!”

Turning there was no Falcon, it had vanished. She spun around, there was no Falcon anywhere, just sand and more sand. The old woman had gone and she was alone with BB8. She stood facing the twin suns, trying not to panic as they sunk into the horizon. Darkness began to descend. She collapsed to her knees screaming, clawing at the sand with her hands. She had to get away from here, she couldn’t stay here. Not alone, not again.

“Ben,” she sobbed. “Ben.”

It was so dark, dark and cold, the air suffocating.

“Rey, Rey,” someone shook her shoulders.

A kind voice broke through the black emptiness.

Rey jumped up with a start, finding herself in her bed at the Resistance Camp. Maz was standing over her, a kindly look of concern echoed in her magnified eyes. She sat up slowly, still disorientated and covered with a fine sheen of cold sweat.

“You were dreaming Rey.”

“It was so real Maz,” Rey whispered. “I thought, I thought that I was trapped. Nobody cared about Ben, not even me. I was alone, all alone. Everything was so wrong, so twisted. I saw my future.”

Maz patted her arm comfortingly.

“My dear child, you’ve been through a great trauma.”

She examined the girl’s worn, drawn expression, her loss echoed in her eyes.

“The Jedi, why didn’t they help him? Why did they abandon him?” Rey’s voice grew angry again.

“The force always has a plan,” Maz replied quietly and calmly. “We just cannot always see it.”

“The force is wrong!” Rey shouted. “The Jedi were wrong. They turned their back on one who needed them the most! If that’s what it means to be a Jedi, then I am not a Jedi!”

Maz jumped at Rey’s vehemence, and could feel the anger and pain pouring from her. Rey felt immediately guilty at snapping at the ancient woman.

“I’m sorry…it’s just…”

Maz took her hand in her small bony one and held it tightly.

“I know.”

The emotions painted across Rey’s face were raw, open and full of sorrow. Maz had seen a lot of heartbreak in the centuries that she had lived. Heartbreak and loss, and they were both reflected in Rey’s glistening eyes.

“Why did he disappear?” she half asked Maz, half speaking aloud to the universe, to anyone who would answer. “I can’t sense him, he is nowhere.”

“You need to have hope child, trust in the force.”

Rey snatched her hand away, standing abruptly from the bed, shaking herself free from the blanket.

“I need some air.”

Rey headed outside leaving Maz alone by the bed.

−

Something was not right; he just did not know what it was. He was in the wrong place, that was it. No wait, he did not know where this was. Where was he? He was sure that he had been somewhere else, somewhere important. Now he was here, but where was here? It was peaceful, quiet, he felt calm despite the ridiculousness of not knowing where he was. He knew that he was supposed to be doing something, going somewhere. What was it, what was it? He racked his brain but it felt foggy, he could not see through it. A thread tugged at his memories, pulling at him as though it were important. Why was it so hard to remember?

Had he been sleeping? He felt strange, as though floating, untethered, free. He heard a voice in the distance. It was in front of him, no behind, or was it above? This made no sense. He tried to walk toward the sound, but nothing happened.

‘What’s wrong with my legs?’

He looked down, but could see nothing. He lifted his hand in front of his face, nothing. He knew it was there though, he could feel it couldn’t he? Why was it so dark? No wait, he could see lights, small glimmering lights. It was starlight, the light of the stars all across the cosmos. It was beautiful. There were those voices again, distant and echoey.

“Just for once, let me look on you with my own eyes.”

“I’ve got to save you.”

“You must unlearn what you have learned.”

“…the biggest problem in this universe is nobody helps each other.”

The voices had gotten a little louder, clearer. Who were they? Where were they? He did not recognise them, but they seemed familiar to him.

‘…helps each other.’

Help each other…those words triggered an emotion in him, a feeling, a memory. He had been trying to help someone, yes that was it. Why couldn’t he remember? He began to feel frustrated, annoyed at himself. The voices again, louder this time.

“You are the chosen one. You have bought balance to the world…”

“You can’t stop the change, anymore than you can stop the suns from setting.”

That last voice, a woman. Her voice was warm and kind, familial. Was she talking to him? Maybe she could help him?

“Hello?” he called out.

His own voice sounded strange to him and echoed back, reverberating.

“Hold me, like you did by the lake on Naboo…”

A younger woman was speaking, she sounded sad, worried.

“I truly…deeply…love you.”

Wait, something was familiar about all of this. Then it happened, another voice.

“I know all about waiting.”

That voice seared through him like his sabre through flesh. He absentmindedly put his hand to his abdomen, there had been a wound. He remembered a wound, a pain. That voice.

“I did want to take your hand. Ben’s hand.”

Memories of everything that had happened flooded him, a tidal wave of emotion. Where was he, was he dead? Rey! More importantly where was Rey?

−

Rey tossed and turned in her sleep, her skin was slick and damp with cold sweat. She felt cold, alone and everything was in darkness. An angry spark flickered deep within her, a spark that she tried to ignore at first. It grew hotter and brighter, warming her from within. The force had betrayed her, the Jedi had betrayed her. They had used her for their own purposes, then abandoned her when she had needed them, when Ben had needed them.

“Rey,” a soft voice whispered to her, seductive and soothing.

The voice sounded like a woman, it repeated itself and echoed through her mind. She felt the dark side of the force dance alongside her consciousness, teasing her, tempting her.

“Peace is a lie,” the woman whispered. “There is only passion.”

The woman’s voice was joined by others now, they spoke in unison. Rey shivered at the sound. They were trying to tell her something.

“Through passion I gain strength, Through strength I gain power, Through power I gain victory, Through victory my chains are broken, The force shall free me.”

The voices and whispers grew in number, gaining momentum. The words comforted her and calmed her angry heart. The voices suddenly stopped as she opened her eyes with a realisation. The force had not let her down, only the light side.

“The force shall free me."


End file.
